Welders, Cutters & Solderers salary in Rockford, IL
Median pay for welders, cutters & solderers in Rockford, IL: $46,720/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $34,890 – $63,060 · about 870 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($48,615) by −$1,895 (-4%).
What it's really worth in Rockford
With Rockford's cost of living at 90 (US=100), that $46,720 has the buying power of about $51,816 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $63,834 · median home $221,368 · median rent $1,319/mo.
How Rockford ranks for this job
On raw pay, Rockford, IL is 139th of the 186 metros we hold welders, cutters & solderers wages for. Once Rockford's cost of living is applied, it ranks 83rd.
Pay here goes further than the headline number suggests — Rockford is one of the places where welders, cutters & solderers gain ground in real terms, because local costs are low relative to what the job pays.
What that salary buys in Rockford
A median home in Rockford, IL costs $221,368 — about 4.7× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,319/mo works out at 34% of gross pay — above the conventional 30% affordability ceiling, so renting would stretch this salary.
Where welders, cutters & solderers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Rockford.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Rockford | Rent vs Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu, HI | $76,540 | +64% | 2.3× |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $70,010 | +50% | 1.1× |
| Bremerton, WA | $66,310 | +42% | 1.6× |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $63,630 | +36% | 1.4× |
Same job elsewhere in IL
| Metro | Median pay | vs Rockford | Rent vs Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $48,580 | +4% | 1.7× |
| Peoria, IL | $47,200 | +1% | 0.9× |
Staying in IL keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires welders, cutters & solderers around Rockford
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles · Manufacturing
- Haldex Hydraulics Corporation · Manufacturing
Other jobs in Rockford
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 186 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.